Coin-controlled machine for measuring the heights of persons.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

W. B. BARTRAM.

GOIN CONTROLLED MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE HEIGHTS OF PERSONS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18.1907.

I nmutm BULB .Bm-Ham.

witnesses:

Jim

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALKER B. BARTRAM, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

COIN-CONTROLLED MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE HEIGHTS OF PERSONS.

Application filed September 18, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WALKER B. BARTRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Machines for Measuring the Heights of Persons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in coin controlled machines for measuring the heights of persons, and consists of certain arrangements of parts and combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth and then particularly pointed out in the claim which concludesthis application.

In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvement-Fig. 2 a side elevation thereof-Fig. 3 a section at the line ac, 9c, of Fig. 2 Figs. 4 and 5 are detail broken sectional elevations at the line y, y, of Fig. 2 showing respectively the positions of the coin chute when the coin is first introduced and when it is in position to pass into the hollow standard-Fig. 6 a detail broken elevation of the hollow standard, and Fig. 7 a broken cross sectional view at the line 2, z, of Fig. 4.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

1 is any suitable platform having therein an ordinary money drawer as shown at 2 in dotted lines, and 3 is a hollow standard rising from said platform and communicating at its lower end directly with said drawer. I prefer to employ braces 4 secured to the platform and tothe standard or any suitable stationary collar 5 around the latter, whereby the standard may be held firmly in position.

Directly upon the face of the standard and secured thereto or else marked thereon is any suitable scale 6, and arranged to slide freely along said standard and embracing the same are collars 7, 8, 9.

10 are lazy tongs pivoted at their upper ends to the topmost collar 7, and having the levers which compose their lower ends diverging and secured by means of coil springs 11 to any suitable stationary element, as, for instance, the collar 5, and said tongs are pivoted at suitable locations to the remain- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 393,552.

I ing collars 8, 9, so that it will be clear that when the top collar 7 is depressed the remaining collars will move accordingly.

12 is any suitable chain depending from the top collar 7 and provided with any suitable ring 13 within convenient access whereby the top collar may be pulled downwardly, and 14 is a horizontal measuring bar extending laterally from the collar 7 and overhanging the platform 1.

The hollow standard has formed therein a notch 15 and an elongated slot 16, which notch and slot are vertically disposed in dif ferent horizontal planes but are out of alinement with each other.

Secured to the collar 8 is a coin chute 17 which has a floor 18 inclined downwardly toward the standard 3 and in close proximity thereto.

19 is a trigger having a toe 20 which projects from the lower inner end of said trigger toward the standard 3, and this trigger is pivoted at 21 within the chute in such manner that said toe is projected by gravity within the notch 15 when the parts of my improvement are in normal position. Along the rear edge of the trigger 19 and extending from the top to the bottom thereof is an inclined rib 22 which extends laterally from said rear edge in close proximity to the wall of the chute 17.

The operation of my improvement is as follows :A coin, designated by the numeral 23, as seen at Fig. 4, is dropped within the chute upon the inclined rib 22 thereby forcing the toe 20 out of engagement with the notch 15; the top collar 7 is then pulled downwardly thereby sliding the collar 8 until the coin upon the inclined floor of the chute comes opposite to the slot 16 whereupon said coin will pass through said slot into the hollow standard 3 and thence down into the coin drawer. As this collar 8 is depressed the toe 20 will not engage with the slot 16 because the latter is out of alinement with the notch 15, but said toe will impinge against the standard until the upward return of the collar 8 whereupon the toe will automatically be projected within said notch preparatory to the insertion of another coin. The top collar 7 is pulled downwardly until the measuring bar 14 touches the head of the person standing on the platform, the height of said person being indicated by the lower edge of the collar 7 as it traverses the scale. Of course any suitable marker may be secured to this collar 7, if desired, but this is a mere matter of detail and has nothing to do with my invention. This top collar cannot be pulled down unless the coin be dropped within the chute for the reason that the engagement of the toe and notch, as above set forth, acts as a lock to prevent the depression of the collar until the toe has been withdrawn from the notch. The depression of the collars is effected against the resiliency of the springs 11, while the latter will operate to return the parts to normal condition.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2 1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a platform, a hollow standard rising above said platform and having a coin slot and a notch out of alinement with each other and in different horizontal planes, a coin receptacle with which said standard communicates, slidable elements supported at the top and intermediate portions of said standard, a spring impelled device connected with said elements whereby the latter are driven to their normal elevated positions, a measuring bar having connection with said top element, means for lowering said elements against the resiliency of said device, a scale carried by said standard, a coin chute having an inclined floor and carried by the intermediate sliding element, and the trigger pivoted within said chute and having its lower inner portion normally projected by gravity within said notch to lock the slidable elements, whereby when a coin is dropped within the chute it will strike the trigger and withdraw the latter from said notch thereby permitting the slidable elements to be depressed and the coin to be dropped through the slot into the coin receptac e.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a platform, a coin receptacle contained therein, a hollow standard rising from said platform and leading at its lower end into said receptacle and having a coin slot and a notch out of alinement with each other and in different horizontal planes, the scale secured to said standard, the slidable collars surrounding said standard, the lazy tongs pivoted to said collars, the springs having their lower ends secured to a stationary element near the bottom of said standard while their upper ends are fastened to the diverging lower members of said lazy tongs, the horizontal measuring bar carried by the upper slidable collar, means for sliding said collars downwardly whereby said diverging lower members will be spread apart against the resiliency of said springs the coin chute having an inclined floor and secured to one of said collars in proximity to said notch and coin slot, and the trigger pivoted within said chute and having an inclined rib along its rear edge and a toe at its lower forward portion which toe is normally projected within said notch owing to the gravity of the trigger, whereby when a coin is dropped within the chute it will strike against said rib and cause the toe to be withdrawn from. thenotch thereby permitting the collars to be depressed and said coin to be dropped through the slot into the standard and thence in the coin receptacle.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALKER B. BARTRAM. Witnesses:

URBANE B. DUNAWAY, LEVI K. MANsFIELD. 

